The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for securing sheeting to a wall surface and, in particular, for indicating preferred locations of attachment of sheeting to the wall surface so that the tearing of the sheeting from the wall surface and the penetration of moisture through the sheeting at the locations of attachment is reduced.
During the construction of a building, plastic sheeting or a similar membrane is secured to an exterior wall surface (i.e., the wall substrate or underlayment) prior to the application of a final exterior wall covering, such as aluminum, wood or vinyl siding. This plastic sheeting resists moisture that may penetrate through gaps existing in the exterior wall covering, thereby protecting the underlying wall structure from moisture damage.
Several approaches for securing plastic sheeting to a wall structure have been proposed in the past. One common method for securing plastic sheeting to a wall structure includes the use of staples. A use of staples simply involves driving a staple through the plastic sheeting into the underlying structure.
However, several disadvantages exist when using staples to secure plastic sheeting to a wall structure. Moisture can easily migrate through the holes in the sheeting created by the staples, thus causing damage to the underlying wall structure. Also, because the surface area of a staple is minimal, the staple provides little resistance to tearing of the plastic sheeting from the wall structure. Furthermore, using staples, as opposed to other fasteners, will result in a minimum of 50% more punctures in the sheeting due to the fact that each staple has two shanks.
Another common method for securing plastic sheeting to a wall structure includes the use of nails driven through plastic washers placed between the sheeting and the head of the nail. The plastic washer increases the surface area of the nail head at the point of attachment, thereby providing an increased resistance to tearing of the plastic sheeting from the wall structure.
However, like staples, several disadvantages exist when using nails, with or without washers, to secure plastic sheeting to a wall structure. Holes created in the plastic sheeting (where the nail is driven into the wall) may allow moisture to penetrate the sheeting and damage the underlying structure. Furthermore, the placement of a washer below a nail before driving the nail into the wall structure, particularly on a repetitive basis in a construction setting, can be cumbersome and time consuming.
A third method for securing plastic sheeting to a wall structure includes the use of battens. Battens, typically comprised of metal, wooden or plastic strips, are placed over the exterior surface of a wall structure with the plastic sheet located between the wall underlayment and the batten. Mechanical fasteners, such as screws, nails or staples, are driven through the batten and into the wall structure. The battens may be pre-punched to accommodate placement of the fasteners.
Several disadvantages exist when using battens to secure plastic sheeting to a wall structure. Holes created in the sheeting by the fasteners, driven through the batten, may allow moisture to penetrate the sheeting and damage the underlying structure. Also, a typical batten does not indicate the most desirable location to drive a given nail into the wall.
When driving nails through a batten to secure plastic sheeting, it is desirable to drive the nails into an area of the wall where the underlayment is directly supported by a stud or other supporting member. Although a typical wall has a stud vertically placed every 16 inches on center along its length, the stud is nonetheless difficult to locate when driving nails because it is covered by the underlayment of the wall structure.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus that indicates preferred locations of attachment to a wall structure and reduces both the tearing of the sheeting from the wall surface and the penetration of moisture through such sheeting at locations of attachment.
The present invention provides a novel and improved batten which reduces the foregoing disadvantages associated with the prior art and provides advantages in construction, mode of operation and use.
To achieve the foregoing, in one form of the invention, the batten comprises a plastic strip (or similar material); for example, about {fraction (1/16)} inch thick and xc2xe inch wide. The strip has an extended xe2x80x9cfastening surfacexe2x80x9d placed at multiples of a preselected distance (for example, about 16 inches on center) along its length. The center of the fastening surface may be pre-punched with a hole to accommodate a nail or similar fastener driven therethrough.
The fastening surfaces, located along the length of the strip at multiples of the preselected distance, indicate the desired location for driving a fastener. Although the batten can be applied to a wall structure vertically, one applying the batten horizontally can thus locate underlying studs and drive the fastener through the sheeting and underlayment and into the stud, assuming the studs are positioned in accordance with preselected distance.
The extended xe2x80x9cfastening surfacesxe2x80x9d of the batten also provide an increased surface area between the fastener and the sheeting at the points of attachment. Such increased surface areas thus prevent a tearing of the sheeting from the wall where the fasteners are driven into the wall structure.
In addition, the underside of each extended fastening surface can include a compressible moisture barrier attached thereto such that, when the batten is placed over the plastic sheeting, the moisture barrier lies between the batten and sheeting. The moisture barrier is preferably not pre-punched to accommodate the insertion of a fastener therethrough.
In operation, the fastener is driven through the batten and moisture barrier, resulting in a resistance-fit between the moisture barrier and fastener. When the fastener is seated against the batten, the moisture barrier is compressed between the extended fastening surface and sheet, creating a moisture-tight fit at the point of attachment of the batten to the wall structure.